Finance Assistant SC5

Job Posting Organization:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, established to save lives in emergencies and to use food assistance as a means to build a pathway to peace, stability, and prosperity for individuals recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. WFP is committed to diversity and equal employment opportunities, encouraging qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply. The organization operates globally, with a mission centered around the values of Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion. WFP has received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, highlighting its significant contributions to humanitarian efforts. The organization invests in the personal and professional development of its employees through various training and mentorship programs, fostering a multicultural working environment.

Job Overview:
The Finance Assistant SC5 position is integral to the Finance Unit of WFP in Djibouti, which is responsible for the effective management of financial resources to support the organization's mission. The role involves providing procedural and technical support to staff in finance and budget areas, ensuring compliance with WFP financial policies and regulations. The Finance Assistant will conduct budget monitoring, variance analysis, and develop financial dashboards and management reports to facilitate performance monitoring. The position requires a proactive approach to managing petty cash accounts, verifying vendor claims, and ensuring timely payments to suppliers. The Finance Assistant will also contribute to strengthening internal controls and compliance frameworks, maintaining accurate financial documentation, and providing guidance and training to support staff.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide procedural and technical support to staff in finance and budget areas to ensure compliance with WFP financial policies, rules, and regulations.
• Conduct budget monitoring and variance analysis, comparing actual expenditures against approved budgets and forecasts, and provide recommendations for cost control and resource optimization.
• Develop and maintain financial dashboards, management reports, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to facilitate performance monitoring and resource utilization.
• Monitor petty cash accounts to ensure adequate funds are available and appropriately disbursed, proceeding with reconciliations and subsequent reporting.
• Verify vendor claims, advances, and other receivables, ensuring compliance with procurement procedures for timely payments.
• Retrieve, format, and validate information from financial information systems, addressing discrepancies with supervisors.
• Contribute to strengthening internal controls and compliance frameworks.
• Maintain a web-based register for all invoices and payment transfers, ensuring compliance with WFP standards.
• Act as the travel focal point for finance, processing payments and settlements related to professional travels. 1
• Monitor and record all expenses in line with the approved budget to ensure correct expenditure costs are charged. 1
• Provide guidance and on-the-job training to other support staff to ensure consistent service delivery. 1
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the manager based on operational needs.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines. They should be willing to adapt to new financial tools and processes, demonstrating strong interpersonal and communication skills. The ability to prepare automated dashboards for funds monitoring and a solid understanding of accounting principles (IPSAS, IFRS, GAAP) are essential. Candidates should also be able to transform financial and operational data into actionable insights to support resource optimization and evidence-based decision-making.

Educational Background:
The minimum educational requirement for this position is the completion of secondary school education. A post-secondary certificate in a related functional area is desirable, indicating a foundational understanding of finance and accounting principles.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least 5 years of experience in finance, accounting, budgeting, management control, financial audit, or financial analysis. Experience in preparing management reports, financial dashboards, and KPIs to support decision-making is essential, along with a background in reviewing financial transactions for compliance with financial policies and internal control frameworks.

Languages:
Fluency in both oral and written French is mandatory. Intermediate knowledge (level B) of English and/or another official language is also required, enhancing communication capabilities within the diverse WFP environment.

Additional Notes:
The position is a contract for a duration of 6 months, and it is essential for candidates to apply through the WFP online recruiting system. The organization emphasizes an inclusive work environment and does not charge any fees during the recruitment process. Selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further stages of the recruitment process.